Baseball game



A ril 19, 1927. 1,625,200

' H FRANKE ET AL BASEBALL GAME Filed Oct. 10, 1.925

eeeeo gvsghzgs EEK f ezzry Ckuelazzd .Sk'azzke Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UldlTE STTES TENT oer-ice.

HENRY CLEVELAND FRANKE, F EVANS'I'ON, ILLINOIS, AND RALPH CLINTON BANGS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BASEBALL GAME.

Application filed October 10, 1925. Serial No. 61,660.

This invention relates to a game and coin- .prises means for playing base ball indoors ac .-ording to the rules that the game is played outdoors. The game maybe played by either children or adults and besides affording amusement, it is also instructive in teaching the game of baseball as it is now being played outdoors.

The invention comprises the novel means and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention and in which similar reference numeralsrefer to similar features in the differentviews:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a foldable card board plat exhibiting a base ball field.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a revolving disc, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

As shown on the drawings:

In referring to the drawings it will be noted that a base ball diamond D embodies a part of a plat which may be made of a pair of hinged cardboard members or the like. The diamond may be painted upon the plat or formed in any other desirable manner and it is provided with the usual bases comprising first base 1, second base 2, third base 3 and home plate l. The ball players in the field are denoted by revolving discs 13. These discs are located upon the diamond and in the out field in substantially the positions that the players occupy in playing the regular outdoor game and when spun provide means for indicating the plays and the fiight of an imaginary ball. Each disc 13 is pivoted upon a cylindrical sleeve 5 provided with an annular shoulder 6 upon which thedisc is supported. A rivet 7 or the like may be used to secure the sleeve 5 to a base 8 which is fastened to the plat. A U-shaped clip 9 is fastened to the base 8 and overhangs the upper margin of each disc in the form of an arrow for the purpose of designating the plays noted on the discs when the same are spun. Besides the discs representing the nine players in the field consisting of the catcher, pitcher, first baseman, second baseman, short stop, third baseman, right fielder, center fielder and left fielder. there is also'shown an umpire disc 10 and a batters disc ll.

Each disc is divided into a number of sectors which may be represented between markers or by different colors, or the like. Each sector contains a notation indicating a play or the flight of the imaginary ball and upon the side of the diamond are provided charts or tables 12 that explain the notations given in the sectors. The notations on the sectors of the discs and in the tables will now be more fully explained. The notations are given in abbreviated form and their meanings areas follows:

B ball; BK-balk; CFcenter field; it-error; FC-fly to catcher; FO-fly out; FTfoul tip; HEB-hit by batted ball; HPB-hit by pitched ball; HR-home run; LF+left field; O-out; RFright field; S,strike on'batter and pitcher disc; S-Safe on all other discs; SBstealing base; SS short stop; TB-throw to base; T 8 B-runher out, throw to base; U-umpire; 1B- first base; 1BHone base hit; 2Bsecond base; 2BHtwo base hit; 3B-third base; 3BH-three base hit.

B, which occurs on the pitchers disc, indicates that the pitcher has delivered a ball to the batter, as distinguished from a strike andthe pitchers disc is re-spun.

BK indicates a balk by the pitcher and any runners on the bases advance one base.

CF stands for center field and indicates that the ball has been hit to center field. The disc in center field should then be spun to determine the play.

E indicates that an error has been made ]Land the runner or runners are safe for one ase.

FC, which only occurs on the batters disc, indicates that a foul fiy has been hit to the catcher and the catchers disc should be spun to determine theplay. If S or Estops under the arrow, the catcher has llltlfid the foul fly and the play counts as a strike unless it is on third strike when it counts as nothing. If 0 comes up under the arrow, the catcher has caught the foul fiy and the bat-v ter is out.

F0 indicates that a fiy ball has been hit and caught and that the batter is out.

FT indicates that a foul tip has'been made by the batter and counts as one strike, except the third. If it is the third strike, the catchers disc is revolved to ascertain whether the foul tip is caught or not, according to the rule given under PC. It the Liii foul tip is caught on the third strike, it counts as a. strike and the batter is out.

HEB indicates that the batter has been hit by a batted ball and is out.

ll Pll indicates that the pitcher has hit the batter with a ball. The hatter will accordingly adranre to tirst base and the other players it forced will advance one base.

HR indicates that a batter has hit a home run. All the base runners will accordingly advance to the home plate.

LF iIIl'llGtIlLS that the ball has been hit to the left fielder. The disc in left lield should accordingly be spun to indicate the play.

(J indicates that the player is out.

lll indicates that the ball has been hit to the right fielder. The disc in right l'ield should be spun to show the play.

8 on the battcrs disc counts as one strike. Three similar strikes puts the hatter out S on the pitchers disc indicates that the pitcher has thrown a potential strike ball over the plate. In order to ascertain whether the batter hit the ball or missed the same, it is necessary to revolve the batters disc. The sector stopping under the arrow will indicate what occurred. ti on the battel-s disc also indicates a strike and it it conres to rest under the arrow. it indicates that the batter has struck at the ball and missed touching the same with his bat. S on all the other discs indicates that the runner is safe or in the case of the catchers disc S may also indicate a strike on the batter as under FC.

Sll indicates that a runner is stealing a base. On this play, the side that is at bat moves one man to the base which is being stolen and the side in the hold spins that disc to indicate whether the runner is safe or out, as shown by the notation within the inner circle,

SS designates the short stop position and indicates that the ball has been hit to the short stop. That disc should then be span to ascertain the play made.

TB indicates that the ball has been hit and lieldcd, with a chance to throw the runner out at a base. The ball should aocordingly be thrown to any base to which the runner, it there one. is forced. If there is no runner, the ball is thrown to first and that disc is spun to determine the play. The notation simply means to throw to base.

T 8 B occurs only on the baseniens discs and means in general runner out, throw to base. For instance if there were a runner liorced to the base on which this play occurs. that runner would be out and the play would he continued by throwing the ball to another base which a runner is being forced to. Where there are no runners on base, it is assumed that the bal is thrown to first base to catch a runner out at first. Otherwise the ball may be thrown to the nearest base to which a runner is being forced. in any event rotation of the disc at the base to which the ball is thrown will in dicate the play. ll? comes up under the aia'ow, the runner is out and a double play has been made. ll S or l) comes up under the arrow, the runner is sate. T 8 B should be distinguished 'l'rom the notation TB. In the latter case, the runner is not being lorced, the bail is merely being thrown to the base is an ellort to put him out.

U indicates a close play. In such a case the umpires disc should be spun to determine whethcr the runner is safe or out.

jlli means that the hall has been hit to the first baseman. The lirst base disc should accordingly be spun to indicate the play designated on the disc.

lllH indicates that the batter has made a one base hit and has sal'ely reached first base, All other runners advance one base.

23 indicates that the ball has been bat-ted to the second baseman. Revolving the disc at second base, the play will be shown.

QBH indicates a two base hit on which the runner goes to second base and all other runners advance two bases.

23B indicates that the ball has been hit to the third baseman and by revolving the disc at third base, the play will be shown.

3131-1. indicates that the batter has made a three base hit and is entitled to advance to third base. Any runners on bases more 011 accordingly.

In playiin; this game, suitable different colored pegs or the lilre representing runners on the bases may be provided as shown in the drawings. playingthe game will each select nine pegs or the like of the same color to represent his side and a coin may be tossed to determine which side is lirst at hat. The side in the field will spin all the discs except the batter's disc, which should be snun by the side at bat.

in starting the game, the pitchers disc will lirst be spun. It will be noted that this disc hastwo circular series of notations. The inner circle will be used when there are no men on buses. "he outer circle will be used when there are men on buses. Now assume that the pitchers dim; stops with the notation ll under the arrow. This will indicate that the pitcher has thrown a ball, as delined in the rules. Upon four such balls, the batter will take his base.

Assume. however, that the pitcher's disc stops with the notation under the arrow. This will indicate that the pitcher has delivered a potential strike. The bat-ters disc will then be revolved to indicate what he did to the delivered ball. If the batters disc should stop with the notation under the Two or more persons in arrow, it will indicate a strike on the batter. Now assume that the pitcher delivers another potential strike, as indicated by the spinning of the pitchers disc, and the spinning of the batters disc indicates that the ball has been hit to second base, the disc at second base will then be revolved to indicate the play. It the disc at second base stops with the notation TB under the arrow, the ball is considered as thrown to first base to catch the runner at first. The disc at first base will then be revolved to indicate the play.

It will be noted that the first, second, third and catchers discs have two concentric series of notations. The inner circle of notationsshould only be used to indicate the result of thrown balls as distinguished from batted balls that are fielded by the players. In the case of thrown balls, the inner series of notations of the disc at first base will then be used in determining the play at first base. If the notation 0 appears under the arrow, it will indicate that the runner to first is out. If E or S appears under the arrow, the runner is safe.

Now assume that the batter has hit the ball to second base as shown by spinning the batters disc. The disc on second base will then be spun and if the notation lBH comes to rest under the arrow, it will indicate that the batter has made a one base hit and reached. first base. The side at the bat will then place a peg on first base to indicate that the same is occupied by a runner.

If the batter should make a hit to any other position as is indicated by spinning his disc, the appropriate disc in the infield or outfield, as the case may be, will be spun to indicate whether the batter has made a hit and also the kind of hit he made, or whether he is out. The spinning of the appropriate disc will indicate the play that occurred.

Now assume that. the batter has hit a foul fly to catcher according to the registration of the batters disc. It will then be necessary to spin the catchers disc to determine whether the foul fly has been caught and the batter is out, or whether it goes as a strike, as in the case when there are not already two strikes on the batter.

Assuming now that there is a runner on first base. When there are runners on base, the outer series of notations on the pitchers disc Will be used. If the pitchers disc is now spun bringing the notation SB under the arrow, it will indicate that the man on first base is stealing second base. The ball will then be considered as thrown to second base and by spinning the disc at second base and using the inner series of notations, it can readily be determined whether the play er is out or safe, according to the notation that comes to rest under the arrow.

Assume the following conditions to obtain:

One man on first and batter hits ball to short stop. Short stops disc registers TB, orthrow to base. In this case it will be assumed that the short stop in accordance with the dictates of good play will throw the ball or run with the ball to second base and the second basemans disc will then be revolved to determine whether the runner is out or safe, using the inner circle of notations. Should the notation U come up under the arrow, the umpires disc will be revolved to determine whether the umpires decision is safe or out.

Let us assume that in another instance there is a man on first and second, batter up and only one out. The batters disc indi cates that the ball was hit to third baseman. On spinning the disc at third base, the designation T 813 appears under the arrow. This indicates that the man on second being forced to run to third was put out by the third baseman unaided and that the third baseman then threw to another base to catch the man running to that base out. It would be natural to assume that the third baseman would throw the ball to first base because probably the runner at first base would have taken such a good lead that his chances of reaching second would be better than the chances of the batter of reaching first. In a case like this, however, the persons playing the game should use their own judgment, which should be in accordance with the probable play that would be made under the given circumstances in an actual game of ball. Which ever base the third baseman throws the ball to, the disc at that base is spun to determine the play. If 0 comes up under the arrow, the runner is out and a double play has been made.

WVhen three batters are out, the two sides change places, and the game proceeds. Preferably nine innings constitute a game, although any other number of innings may be agreed upon. The side making the largest number of runs naturally wins. Score ma be kept by means of suitable counters.

I; will be appreciated that this game will afford unusual amusement to both children and adults and will also be instructive with respect to the actual game of baseball as it is being played outdoors. lVhile the game can be played by persons having little or no knowledge of baseball by simply following the plays as designated on the discs and explained in the rules, it is obvious that persons familiar with baseball can make this game more nearly approach baseball as it is actually played by using their judgment as to what the natural. play would be in every given set of circumstances and thus supplementing the bare directions given in the rules of the play.

Vve are aware that many changes may be mode, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this in rention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereoin otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

'0 claim as our invention:

1. In the game of baseball. 1: pint having :1 miniature hail iield represented thereon. rotntnhie discs adopted to he spun to show the flight of an imaginary bull and plays Said dises being divided into sectors having notations to show the plays. and eoneentrie series of notations on certain of the discs to represent the resnit oi thrown haiis as distinguished from bntted balls.

2. In the game of baseball, 21 plot having a miniature ball field represented thereon,

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'snid discs being divided into sectors having notations to show the plays, and concentric series of notations on the hnselnens discs to represent the result of thrown balls 2, disting 'nished from hotted hails.

$3. In :1 game board described, a entehefis dine divided into sectors, and on inner and outer series of notations in said sertors said inner series of notations il'idieating the result of thrown hails only and the outer series oi notations indientinn' the result of batted. hulls.

In testimon whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names,

HENRY CLEVELAND FRANKE. RALPH CLINTON BANGS. 

